Boyhood parody with cats: watch 'Cathood'

A spoof of Richard Linklater's Boyhood, involving kittens, has taken the
internet by storm

Take a remarkable premise for a film. Replace the cast with kittens. Stand back and watch the internet implode.

Cinema hit Boyhood, which was shot in sequence across 12 years (and 39 filming days), chronicles the journey from childhood to adolescence of Mason Jnr, played by Ellar Coltrane, who we see age on screen from a cute six-year-old to a gangly, sensitive young man of 18. Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette play Mason Jnr's parents.

Now The Pet Collective – which describes itself as the ultimate destination for pet lovers on the internet – has made an adorable parody of Richard Linklater's coming-of-age drama, released in UK cinemas in July.

"Cathood", riffing on Boyhood's ageing-in-real-time premise, follows 12 weeks in the life of a kitten, and comes replete with earnest title cards and poignant music just like in the film's trailer.

It features performances from, er, Patricia Ourcat, Collar Catrane, and Eatin Hawk – and, at the time of writing, has almost 40,000 views on YouTube.